4th New Jersey Infantry - Captured at Gaines Mill & Andersonville POW

Item LTR-7243

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 4 pages written in period ink.

U.S. General Hospital, Annapolis M.D.
Oct. 16th 1862

Dearest Mother,

I was very much pleased to receive a letter from you and this morning it came to hand. The money came safe. Well, these kind of bills are all the go here. Indeed, we would rather have these than state notes. It came in the right time. I am sure you could not have sent any more when you sent me all you had. It will do me a great deal of good. I have no doubt it will give you great pleasure to know that I am nearly well. I can walk about first rate. But you must not count upon seeing me soon for all the prospect I see is now as soon as the requisition for clothes comes in, you will see or hear of my going to my company and regiment. If so, I shall not be a bit sorry that Captain Hall has resigned his commission.

I got a letter from my Pastor lately, I am glad that Lieutenant Eldridge is with the company.
I hope he is captain. I shall be glad to see the boys and they will be glad, no doubt, to see me. You wish to know whether I am exchanged or paroled. Well, I am both. On the 13th of September, I was paroled on Belle Island by Captain Montgomery of the Rebel Army. Well, after I had been in the Hospital maybe some 2 weeks or so, I saw in the New York Herald that all of the paroled prisoners from Belle Island who were paroled on the 13th of September were declared to be exchanged. So you see, I am good as soon as I get these clothes for the regiment, for the doctor has intimated to me that I was well enough for my regiment a week ago.

Well, Mother, if I do not be able to see you this winter, yet we will not repine at our Heavenly Father’s will, for He doeth all things well and we will see everything in the true light by and by.
But I hope and trust He will keep me safe from all harm and in his ever good time return me safe home once more. I will do the best I can you may be assured.

Tis dinner time for the bell has rung for the Ward Tenders to bring their trays to the cook staff for the dinner. Write soon and tell me about the company. [Braze Willsey] is here in the parole camp or rather expects to go there today. I should like a chronicle very much. I will write a few lines to Grandmother. But I must close, hoping this will find you all well and happy. Remember me to Bro and Sister F. and to all inquiring friends. So, no more at present from your affectionate son,

Thomas H. Capern

Dear sister Lizzie,

I was glad to hear from you again. I am pretty well now. You must not expect to see me soon for as hostilities will, in all probability, continue for sometime yet. Therefore, the army needs every man that belongs to it and I expect to go there soon. Yes, Sister, I am an exchanged prisoner and as good as any of the rest of them. I should have been glad to have the pleasure of seeing your dear face once more. But for the present, all my hopes of seeing you soon seem to be predicated by an elusive but mysterious Providence. But God has his own plans and we must not repine or complain, but should go and do our duty with contentment and cheerfulness wherever our lot happens to fall. But we all pray that this war may speedily come to an end. Let us pray earnestly that the Lord, who thus far has cared for me and brought me out of every trouble, will keep me safe from every harm. Give my love to little Willie. No more at present from your dear brother,

Thomas H. Capern.

Much love to you all. I am glad that you have been down country. My Pastor told me in a letter which I received the other day that a good many of my associates had joined the army lately.

T. H. Capern